A long, long time ago, during the Zhou Dynasty in China, there was a very remarkable wise man named Jiang Taigong. He was full of knowledge and possessed extraordinary wisdom and strategies, but he had never met anyone who could recognize his worth.
Jiang Taigong heard that Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo, was a wise and virtuous monarch, and he was eager to serve him. Thus, Jiang Taigong came to the Wei River.
He didn't fish like ordinary fishermen with a curved hook. Instead, he used a straight hook, and there was no bait on the hook either. He just sat quietly by the Wei River, patiently waiting every day. People around him thought it was very strange when they saw his way of fishing and mocked him one after another, saying, "How can you possibly catch fish like this?" But Jiang Taigong remained unmoved and just smiled and said, "Those who are willing will be hooked."
Day by day passed, and Jiang Taigong still stuck to his unique fishing method by the Wei River.
One day, Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo, went out hunting and passed by the Wei River. He saw this strange old man and the peculiar sight of fishing with a straight hook. Ji Chang thought in his heart that this old man must be an extraordinary person, so he stepped forward to have a conversation with Jiang Taigong. During the conversation, Ji Chang found that Jiang Taigong had unique insights, was erudite, and had a profound understanding of world affairs. Ji Chang was very happy because he knew that he had finally found a worthy talent who could assist him in achieving great undertakings.
Since then, Jiang Taigong followed Ji Chang and offered advice for him. With the help of Jiang Taigong, Ji Chang's power grew continuously. Later, his son, King Wu of Zhou, overthrew the Shang Dynasty and established the Zhou Dynasty. And Jiang Taigong became a founding hero of the Zhou Dynasty and was honored as Taigong Wang. His wisdom and story have been passed down to this day.
